Captain admits 'there is no easy way out of this' after dreadful away form
continues

Queens Park Rangers are enjoying a home record that is eighth-best in the Premier League this season. If only playing away from Loftus Road did not matter.

With 10 top-flight grounds visited this season, QPR have travelled 2,225 miles and accrued not a single point. They have scored just five goals and conceded 24; each category for them representing the most miserable in English professional football. Roughly, QPR supporters have had to travel 445 miles to witness each goal.

The grim statistics culminated on Saturday here with a group of QPR supporters traversing an otherwise empty swathe of the away end to let players know of their angst.

Clint Hill, the substituted left-back, whose performance had been more defiant than any of the other visiting defenders, appeared to become embroiled in a heated exchange of words before Joey Barton, the captain – who is not always noted for his skills in peace-making – pulled him away, helped by Glenn Hoddle, the QPR first‑team coach.

“Someone said something to Richard Dunne that was all,” said Harry Redknapp, the QPR manager. “Kevin Hitchcock [the goalkeeping coach] went and took Dunney away – someone just got the hump. He didn’t go to have a row with anyone – he just went over and started applauding and someone had a go.”

Earlier, Charlie Austin’s equalising penalty was rendered irrelevant to the outcome of the match. Scott Arfield and Danny Ings secured a valuable three points for Burnley, who for the time being leapfrog QPR into Premier League safety.

Rangers became the first side since Sunderland half a century ago to lose their first 10 games on the road.

Barton talked of “psychological effects”. The captain said: “There is no easy way out of this. It is a case of head down and graft. I’ve never been in a situation like this before – so good at home and so poor away.”

Barton described the mood of Redknapp as “p----- off”. Unlike in previous transfer windows, Redknapp will not be able to spend his way out of trouble. After signing Mauro Zárate on loan from West Ham United, the manager might be able to sign another striker on a short-term deal.

Barton claimed that he could under­stand the reaction of fans, though he added that it “doesn’t help anyone”.

“These are testing times and there is no hiding place. You have to show a big set of b‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ and pick ourselves up. We have got [Manchester] United coming up and we have to take care of them and then whoever it is [next] on the road [Stoke City]. We have to start digging results out.”